The baroque guitar is a type of stringed instrument that was popular during the Renaissance, primarily in the 15th and 16th centuries. This guitar has a slightly different body than modern guitars available in music stores today. There are also some other characteristics that set this guitar apart.
The strings of the baroque guitar are one of its most distinguishing features. Animal materials or “gut” that was made into long, thin strands were used to make strings for this instrument. The texture of this material was similar to that of modern nylon strings used on classical or flamenco guitars. This is an example of how people in that era were able to “manufacture” goods without the use of modern materials or methods.
On baroque guitars, the strings were divided into five “courses” or sets. Depending on the guitar model, there were five sets of strings for a total of nine or ten strings. Each pair of strings received vibrant tones as a result of this.
The tuning of baroque guitars varied depending on the musical school. The origins of specific tunings for the instrument can be traced back to certain composers. It’s important to remember that music was a huge part of life during the Baroque period. The average academic student spent several hours each day practicing guitar or another instrument, and playing the baroque guitar was seen as a status symbol.
Today’s guitarists may prefer to use a “playing by ear” approach, whereas baroque guitars were frequently used with sheet music. Sheet music was often printed in a specific style to allow groups of musicians to play together due to the intricate nature of classical guitar music. So that musicians could gather around the sheet music and all follow along at the same time, several bars of the sheet music were printed multiple times on one page, each set facing a different direction.
Today’s Baroque guitars are primarily collector’s items or items found in museums and historic representations. Because of their age, these items have a very high value. The majority of originals are no longer played, but are instead preserved for posterity. However, some reconstructions of this instrument are still available for purchase and are used by authentic performance ensembles.